AUTHOR=Piao Dongri , Wang Heng , Di Dongdong , Tian Guozhong , Luo Jiantong , Gao Wenjie , Zhao Hongyan , Xu Weimin , Fan Weixing , Jiang Hai 

TITLE=MLVA and LPS Characteristics of Brucella canis Isolated from Humans and Dogs in Zhejiang, China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=4

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2017.00223

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2017.00223

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=<sec id="ST1"><title>Background</title><p><italic>Brucella canis</italic> is a pathogenic bacterium that causes brucellosis in dogs, and its zoonotic potential has been increasing in recent years. <italic>B. canis</italic> is a rare source of human brucellosis in China, where <italic>Brucella melitensis</italic> has been the major pathogen associated with human brucellosis outbreaks. In late 2011, a case of a <italic>B. canis</italic> infection was detected in a human patient in Zhejiang Province, China. To compare the genotypes between strains of <italic>B. canis</italic> isolated from the patient and from dogs, a multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA-16) was performed. In addition, the lipopolysaccharide-synthesis-related genes were analyzed with the <italic>B. canis</italic> reference strain RM6/66.</p></sec><sec id="ST2"><title>Results</title><p>32 <italic>B. canis</italic> strains were divided into 26 genotypes using MLVA-16 [Hunter-Gaston Diversity Index (HGDI) = 0.976]. The HGDI indexes for various loci ranged between 0.000 and 0.865. All four Hangzhou isolates were indistinguishable using panel 1 (genotype 3) and panel 2A (genotype 28). However, these strains were distinctly different from other isolates from Beijing, Jiangsu, Liaoning, and Inner Mongolia at Bruce 09. The emergence of a human <italic>B. canis</italic> infection was limited to an area. Comparative analysis indicated <italic>B. canis</italic> from canines and humans have no differences in lipopolysaccharide-synthesis locus.</p></sec><sec id="ST3"><title>Conclusion</title><p>The comprehensive approaches have been used to analyze human and canine <italic>B. canis</italic> isolates, including molecular epidemiological and LPS genetic characteristics. Further detailed analysis of the whole genomic sequencing will contribute to understanding of the pathogenicity of <italic>B. canis</italic> in humans.</p></sec>